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Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #1)

J.R. Ward

Start date: January 1, 2013

Finish date: January 31, 2013

Discussion: Challenges: What's the Rush

Why we're reading this: Part of our group series (re)read: Black Dagger Brotherhood …more
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Challenges: What's the Rush

* 2025 Series Read: K.N. Banet's "Jacky Leon"
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* YEAR-LONG CHALLENGES
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last updated Aug 17, 2010 11:14PM

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What Members Thought

Jul 18, 2010 Chelsea rated it it was amazing

Shelves: vampires, uf-pnr, suggested-series-firsts, smexy

This review was originally posted at Vampire Book Club.

As of late we’ve read too many paranormal romances where the story is either all character focus and no sex or all steam and no connection to the people involved. And that’s what makes reading J.R. Ward’s first Black Dagger Brotherhood novel Dark Lover so incredibly refreshing.

Dark Lover has characters you can love (even those secondary ones), an interesting world with great mythology, a plot that needs to be devoured and really hot vampire This review was originally posted at Vampire Book Club.

As of late we’ve read too many paranormal romances where the story is either all character focus and no sex or all steam and no connection to the people involved. And that’s what makes reading J.R. Ward’s first Black Dagger Brotherhood novel Dark Lover so incredibly refreshing.

Dark Lover has characters you can love (even those secondary ones), an interesting world with great mythology, a plot that needs to be devoured and really hot vampire love scenes that are used to move the plot forward and not just for the sake of being dirty.

Beth is a metro reporter at a local newspaper. She’s the one who takes care of the basic police beat, which means she’s on good terms with all the boys on the force. They look out for her, feed her tips on news and are generally friends. She’s also a vampire about to transition into being what we’d typically think of as a vampire. It is going to be brutal — some don’t make it — and she’s going to need a guide with plenty of blood.

Unfortunately, Beth doesn’t know any of this. She never knew her parents, and so she has no idea of her heritage. Wrath knows though. Beth’s father’s last request was that Wrath help his daughter survive the transition.

Wrath can’t imagine him ever being caring or the one to hold someone’s hand through this process. As the king and leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, the order of warriors charged to protect vampire kind, he’s hard and ruthless. A warrior through-and-through, he sets out to protect Beth. What he didn’t expect was to fall in love with her.

Both Beth and Wrath have to come to terms with who they are in order to move forward.

All the while the Brotherhood contests with an order of vampire slayers and new police interest in their activities, especially after Beth leaves with the big, evil-looking Wrath.

Bottom line: You need to read Dark Lover. It’s dark. It’s sexy. It has vampires. And a story you won’t want to put down. ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2010 Joyce rated it it was amazing

Shelves: drm-free-epubs, 1-in-series, audible-read

This was an excellent book. I'm so glad I was finally convinced to start reading it. I love the world that is created. It is original and a bit different lore to the vampire story. ...more

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May 26, 2010 Naomi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

This whole Black Dagger Brotherhood series is totally captivating. Would recommend to all vamp book lovers!!

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Apr 06, 2010 Cat rated it really liked it

Shelves: para-romance, above-4-avg, vampire, series, read-in-2010

Beth is an ordinary but very beautiful girl living a boring life until that is she meets with a vampire named Wrath who has been sent to help her through a major turning point in her life.
Hmm not quite sure of this one. Its a good read but the sex scenes began to get old near the end. I did like Beth and Wrath as the protagonists and the world JR Ward has created is great. Maybe a little more action. The parts with Mr. X I found to be a bit boring and there seemed to be little more to Beth and ...more

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Aug 25, 2010 Nicole rated it liked it

Shelves: vampire-fiction

Dark Lover at times was a gripping read. However, I found my self laughing at the dialogue. The exchanges between the males and females in this book was just too funny. The story was still interesting despite the fact I was chuckling from the start to the very end. I do plan to read the next book in this series. But I will get the next book from the library.

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Oct 06, 2010 Vivian rated it liked it

Shelves: read-2010

The beginning was a little slow and I wasn't sure I would get into it, but by the end, I was totally sucked into the story. The names were a little cheesy, but other than that, I think there's some fun characters for me to explore in the future. ...more

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